Combined plug receptacle and circuit overload protective device



R. J. M LAREN May 18, 1965 COMBINED PLUG RECEPTACLE AND CIRCUIT OVERLOAD PROTECTIVE DEVICE Filed Jan. 15, 1963 FlG.l.

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United States Patent 3,184,569 CONIBINED PLUG RECEPTACLE AND CERCUIT OVERLOAD PROTECTIVE DEVICE Robert J. McLaren, 235 Foster Ave, Brooklyn, NY. Filed Jan. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 251,628 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-121) This invention relates to plug receptacles and more particularly to a device of that nature including, in combination, means for interrupting a circuit in the event of an overload thereon, structure adapted to provide illumination peripherally of the outlet apertures as a guide for insertion of a male plug member and illuminating means adapting said device for use as a night light, said illuminating means, while lighted, further serving as an indication that the outlet is operational and that any appliance in circuit therewith is in good working order and does not constitute an overload to the circuit.

Consonant with the foregoing, the instant invention has for an object the provision of a plug receptacle where in a pair of cartridge-fuse members are removably provided to preclude damage to an appliance connected in circuit therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a plug receptacle having light means associated therewith to indicate failure or not with respect to cartridge-fuses contained within said receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a plug receptacle having illumination means associated therewith, said illumination means being utilizable as a night light and cover means adapted to prevent emanation of light therefrom.

A still further object of the instant invention is the provision of a plug receptacle having illumination means associated therewith, said illumination means serving as a guide to the specific location of the female outlet apertures of said plug receptacle.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a new and useful plug receptacle accomplishing the objectives noted above, which plug receptacle is of extremely simple construction, economical of manufacture, and highly reliable in operation.

Further and additional objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the plug receptacle;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the receptacle, parts being broken away to show the continuity arrangement of the material of high internal light reflective character;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the present invention illustrating the prong receiving apertures;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the lower half section of the plug receptacle showing the relative arrangement of parts therein; and

FIGURE 5 is a schematic representation of the circuitry employed in the instant invention.

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, numeral 1 generally designates the plug receptacle.

As presented the device is seen to be generally comprised of body 2 constructed of opaque insulating plastic, hard rubber or any other suitable material, said body having a hollow central portion 4 therewithin. Top portion 6, in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof, is raised as shown and formed of wall casing 8, said wall containing polymethyl methacrylate, designated by numeral It or any other material having the property of high internal light reflection, the preferred material as heretofore stated being commonly known under the 3,184,569 Patented May 18, 1965 trademark Lucite. Material 10, as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, integrally extends through said body to appear surfacedly of said top portion 6 and of end wall 12 as will be described hereinbelow following.

Said end wall 12, as observed in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, contains apertures 14, 16, elongate passages 18 and 24) being provided intermediate said apertures, respectively, and said hollow central portion 4, and conductive strips 22, 22 being disposed lengthwise within each said passage, said strips being of brass or other suitable material. Accordingly, said material 10 appearing surfacedly of said apertures 14, 16 and peripherally thereof as shown in said FIGURE 3, forms the abounding walls 24 of said elongate passages and is integrally connected therewith by portion 26 of said material 10 as disclosed in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

End wall 28, opposingly located with respect to end wall 12, has a pair of receptacle-mating-prongs 3t), 32 extending therefrom, said receptacle-mating-prongs being preferably of brass or any other suitable conductive material folded over upon itself. Said prongs provide contact members adaptable to any suitable electrical power source, contact members of any suitable configuration being utilizable in lieu thereof as in the case of a direct wall outlet where adapter prongs would not be required.

As shown in FIGURE 4 of the drawings, cartridgefuses 34, 36 are provided intermediate said contact members St), 32, respectively, and said conductive strips 22, said fuses being receivable Within clip-connectors 38, said connectors being provided within recesses 40 extending substantially the length of said central hollow portion and adjacent side walls 42, 42. Said cartridge-fuses, being of conventional operation, are composed of material having a predetermined electro-thermal capacity so as to readily melt and separate when more than a predetermined amount of electric current passes therethrough. In operation, when a current greater than that desired passes through the device, either both or one of cartridge-fuses 34, 36 will burn and sever. Thus the circuit between receptacle-1nating-prongs or contact members 30, 32 and conductive strips 22, 22 will be broken, stopping the flow of current and simultaneously cause the deenergization of a neon lamp as will now be described.

A small neon lamp or other suitable electrical illuminating device 44 is positioned within cavity 46 of top portion 6 and connected by wire 46 to conductive strips 22, 22. A small resistance 48 may be included in the circuit as shown so that it is connected in series with the neon lamp.

Accordingly then, it will be appreciated that said conductive-strips being connected to said cartridge-fuses by wires 50, Stl are in series circuit with said receptaclemating-prongs which are connected to said cartridgefuses at screw connections 52, 52, said neon lamp and said resistance being connected in parallel with said series circuit as shown in FIGURE 5 of the drawings. Hence, it will be apparent that in the event either cartridge-fuse 34 or 36 is severed, further current flow to the conductive strips or to the neon lamp will be curtailed, thus extinguishing the neon lamp to indicate an overload in the circuit and the necessity of remedial action.

By dint of the arrangement of said material displaying high internal reflective character, light emanating from neon lamp 44 will be directed internally of said material and will appear peripherally of apertures 14, 16 located in end wall 12 of the device, to thus facilitate insertion within said apertures of a male plug adapter. Light from said neon lamp will concurrently be emanated from said top portion 6 thus functioning as a night light or as an indicator of working order of the device. An opaque cover 54 is provided across said top portion and is greases hingedly connected thereto at 56 to provide closure against light emanating from said top portion if so desired.

As seen in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, said plug receptacle 1 is comprised of an upper and a lower halt divided at 58, nut and bolt combination 60, shown in FIGURE 1 being employed for holding said halves together.

Both the structural and operational characteristics of the invention having been described, it will be understood that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of parts from that disclosed herein without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the attendant advantages thereof, provided, however that such changes fall within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A plug receptacle comprised of a body of opaque insulating plastic having a central hollow portion; a top portion containing transparent material of high internal light reflective character, there being a neon lamp receiving cavity within said top portion; side walls each containing a recess extending substantially the length of said central hollow portion, a clip-connector within each said recess, and a cartridge-fuse within each said clip connector; a first end wall containing a pair of apertures therein; passages intermediate said apertures and said central hollow portion, and a conductive strip within each said passages and extending therefrom to within said central cavity portion, said passages being integral with said material contained within said top portion and formed of said material, said material appearing surfacedly of said first end peripherally of said apertures; a second end wall having a pair of receptacle-mating-prongs extending therefrom, one end of said prongs extending to within said central hollow portion; a neon lamp removably mounted within said cavity; and a cover hingedly connected to said top portion and superposed with respect to said cavity; said conductive strips, receptacle-mating-prongs and said cartridge-fuses being in series with the line supply, said neon lamp being in shunt across the load side of the line, and a high resistive element in series with said neon lamp.

2. A plug receptacle comprised of a body of opaque in sulating plastic having a central hollow portion; a top portion containing transparent material of high internal light reflective character, a cavity within said top portion; side wals each containing a recess etxending substantially the length of said central hollow portion, cartridge-fuse receiving clips Within each said recess; a first end wall containing a pair of apertures therein; elongate passages intermediate said apertures and said central hollow portion and a conductive strip within each said passages and extending therefrom to within said central cavity portion, said passages being formed through material of high internal light reflective character, said material extending integrally between said passages and said top portion, said material appearing surfacedly of said first end peripherally of said apertures; a second end wall having a pair of receptacle-mating-prongs extending therefrom, one end of said pfongs extending to within said central hollow portion; a neon lamp removably mounted within said cavity; said conductive strips and said receptacle-matingprongs being in series circuit with the line supply, said neon lamp being in shunt across the load side of the line, and a high resistive element in series with said neon lamp.

3. A plug receptacle as set forth in claim 2 wherein said material of high internal light reflective character is polymethyl methacrylate.

4. A plug receptacle comprised of a body of opaque insulating plastic having a central hollow portion; a top portion containing material of high internal light refiec tive character; a cavity within said top portion; a first end wall containing a pair of apertures therein; elongate passages intermediate said apertures and said central hollow portion, and a conductive strip within each said passages and extending therefrom to within said central cavity portion, said passages being formed through material of high internal light reflective character, said material extending integrally between said passages and said top portion, said material appearing surfacedly of said first end peripherally of said apertures; a second end wall having a pair of receptacle-mating-prongs extending therefrom, one end of said prongs extending to within said central hollow portion; a neon lamp removably mounted within said cavity; said conductive strips and said receptacle-mating-prongs being in series circuit with the line supply, said neonlamp being connected in shunt across the load side of the line, and a high resistive element in series with said neon lamp.

5. A plug receptacle as set forth in claim 4 wherein said material of high internal light reflective character is polymethyl methacrylate.

6. A plug receptacle comprised of a body having a central hollow portion; a top portion containing material of high internal light reflective character; a cavity within said top portion; a first end wall containing a pair of apertures therein; said material extending between said top portion and said apertures, said material appearing surfacedly of said first end peripherally of said apertures; elongate passages intermediate said apertures and said central hollow portion, said passages being formed through said material; a conductive strip within each said passage; a second end wall having a pair of contact members positioned thereat; a neon lamp mounted within said cavity; said conductive strips and contact members being connected in series with the line supply; said neon lamp being in shunt across the load side of the line, and a high resistive element in series with said neon lamp.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,858,157 5/32 Lagandro 200l21 1,990,176 2/35 Fried 200-115.5 2,074,917 3/37 Kaufiman 200121 2,440,063 4/48 Andrews 200-167 2,449,213 9/48 Frederick 200-167 2,496,049 1/50 Henry 200-121 2,612,597 9/52 Sheppard 200167 FOREIGN PATENTS 900,762 6/51 France.

BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. 

6. A PLUG RECEPTACLE COMPRISED OF A BODY HAVING A CENTRAL HOLLOW PORTION; A TOP PORTION CONTAINING MATERIAL OF HIGH INTERNAL LIGHT REFLECTIVE CHARACTER; A CAVITY WITHIN SAID TOP PORTION; A FIRST END WALL CONTAINING A PAIR OF APERTURES THEREIN; SAID MATERIAL EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID TOP PORTION AND SAID APERTURES, SAID MATERIAL APPEARING SURFACEDLY OF SAID FIRST END PERIPHERALLY OF SAID APERTURES; ELONGATE PASSAGES INTERMEDIATE SAID APERTURES AND SAID CENTRAL HOLLOW PORTION, SAID PASSAGES BEING FORMED THROUGH SAID MATERIAL; A CONDUCTIVE STRIP WITHIN EACH SAID PASSAGE; A SECOND END WALL HAVING A PAIR OF CONTACT MEMBERS POSITIONED THEREAT; A NEON LAMP MOUNTED WITHIN SAID CAVITY; SAID CONDUCTIVE STRIPS AND CONTACT MEMBERS BEING CONNECTED IN SERIES WITH THE LINE SUPPLY; SAID NEON LAMP BEING IN SHUNT ACROSS THE LOAD SIDE OF THE LINE, AND A HIGH RESISTIVE ELEMENT IN SERIES WITH SAID NEON LAMP. 